


Maikoween: Childhood

by nyquilsquirrel



Series: Maikoween 2020 [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Fire Nation (Avatar), Maiko Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:14:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27194290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nyquilsquirrel/pseuds/nyquilsquirrel
Summary: Day one prompt of Maikoween. Childhood Mai and Zuko in the Royal Garden.
Relationships: Mai/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Maikoween 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1985164
Comments: 2
Kudos: 31
Collections: Fall Maiko Week 2020





	Maikoween: Childhood

*Royal  Training Courtyard*

Zuko clenched his fists and huffed. He was getting frustrated. All afternoon, he had been training with Master Jeong Jeong trying to learn his first advanced firebending move. Azula was a firebending prodigy, but Zuko struggled to channel his energy into his bending. Ever since his tenth birthday a few months ago, Prince Ozai had only grown more irate with the disparity between his children’s bending. Between Azula’s cruel quips and his father’s harsh words, Zuko was floundering. 

Desperately Zuko attempted the move again. Determined to succeed, Zuko focused on his breath like Uncle Iroh always told him to. He positioned himself into a squat and took a deep breath. As he inhaled, he swung his arm over his head, preparing to strike. Zuko swung his arm down, a ray of fire shooting out of his fist. The fire lashed towards Jeong Jeong. 

**“** Congratulations, Prince Zuko. You have successfully completed the fire whip,” Jeong Jeong remarked..” We will resume training tomorrow afternoon.”

“Thank you, Master,” Zuko beamed. He couldn’t believe that he completed his first advanced firebending technique. “I will practice tonight,” he promised giddily.  _ Hopefully, I can master the move before the Royal Family meeting next week,  _ he thought.

The two firebenders bowed to each other before parting ways. Zuko headed towards the palace, pausing at the fountain to gaze at the turtleducks. 

From the nearby garden, Mai was hiding and playing with a fire lily. She had spent most of the afternoon with Azula and Ty Lee and was feeling exhausted. As much as she loved her friends, sometimes she just wanted to be alone. The garden was her favorite spot to hide when she wanted to be alone at the palace. She loved the vibrant colors of the exotic flowers and how they stood out among the green leaves. She loved that no one ever walked through the garden besides Prince Iroh and Lady Ursa, both of whom would just smile and wave when passing by.

But the real reason she loved the garden was its view of the fountain. She loved to watch Zuko feed the turtleducks. He was always so gentle and kind to them, unlike Azula who tormented them.  _ The royal siblings are so different from each other,  _ she pondered. Sometimes she wondered what it would be like if she had befriended Zuko instead of Azula, but her parents insisted that being friends with Azula was the best political choice for their family. 

Absentmindedly, she picked a petal off of the flower in her hand and examined it. Every petal was different. Mai inspected the veins of the petals carefully. Aunt Mura owned a flower shop in Capital City. Each Sunday, Mai excitedly went to visit her Aunt at the shop to help arrange bouquets. It was the only day she didn’t have to practice her manners or visit Azula. Among the flowers, Mai was free.

Through the bushes, she noticed Zuko standing by the fountain, and she picked another petal off of the flower.  _ He loves me,  _ she thought as she played the game Aunt Mura had taught her last week. Mai confided in her Aunt that she would watch Zuko play with the turtleducks while hiding in the garden.

*flashback to Aunt Mura’s Floral Shop*

“You watch Prince Zuko?” Aunt Mura questioned her increasingly blushing niece. Ever since Mai befriended Princess Azula she had heard about the young prince that made her normally deadpan niece smile.

Knowing she could trust her Aunt, Mai let out a small giggle. “He’s really cute when he feeds the turtleducks,” she whispered.

“When I was a young girl, there was a boy at school I had a crush on,” she quietly nodded, “I would find a flower and pick off all of the petals.”

“Why would you do that?” Mai asked confused.

“Well, my dear, whenever I picked off a petal I would alternate between two answers to if he liked me back: he loves me, he loves me not. The final petal is your answer. He loves you, he loves you not,” Aunt Mura explained.

“What happens if he loves you?” Mai questioned. “And, what happens if he doesn’t love you?” she asked timidly.

“If the petal you end on is a ‘he loves me’, it means he likes you back,” her aunt chuckled.

“And if it ends on a “he loves me not?” Mai quietly asked again.

“It means he does not like you back,” Aunt Mura frowned. “But, my dear, I’ll let you in on a little secret. Sometimes you need to follow your heart. Even if a flower, or your parents, disagree.”

Mai thought about this carefully. Even though she had liked Zuko for years, she had never thought about what could happen if he liked her back.  _ It wouldn’t matter, _ she thought. _ Mother will never allow me to put my feelings above our political standing.  _ When her mother asked her about her afternoon, Mai was sure to leave the game her aunt told her out.

*Fire Palace Garden*

_ He loves me not,  _ she thought pulling off another petal as she peered at Zuko through the leaves.  _ He loves me.  _ Another petal dropped to the ground. Zuko was smiling as he talked to the turtleducks. Mai loved to see him smile. No one really smiled at the Royal Palace. Mai had noticed that Lady Ursa was often frowning, and in her rare glimpses of Prince Ozai, he always appeared angry.  _ He loves me not. Zuko seems really happy about something,  _ she thought smiling.

He knelt down to pet one of the turtleducks, still grinning.  _ He loves me,  _ she pulled off another petal. Mai repositioned herself. She had to be careful about how she sat in the garden to ensure that her clothes did not become dirty or wrinkled. As she was adjusting, she pricked her finger on a thorn.

“Ouch,” she hissed, examining the small cut frowning when she realized that the last few petals of her flower were bloodstained.

“Mai?” a throaty voice called out. She whipped her head in the direction of the sound. Zuko had spotted her. Sheepishly, Mai stood up feeling the heat rise to her cheeks. 

She held up her bloody finger. “I pricked myself,” she sighed.

“Are you okay?” Zuko asked. “I can call for the palace healer.”

“I’m fine.” She rolled her eyes. Silently, the two kids stared at each other, neither knowing what to do next.

“If you don’t want to sit in the garden anymore, you can pet the turtleducks with me,” he offered with a small smile.

“Okay.” She started to walk for the garden exit. She pulled off a petal.  _ He loves me not _ . Once she reached the fountain, she knelt beside the young prince.

“You need to wait for one to swim up to us. Their favorite spot to be pet is the top of their heads. We need to be kind of quiet or they won’t swim up,” he whispered. Mai pulled off another petal.  _ He loves me.  _ A baby turtleduck swam up to them. “Like this,” he demonstrated, petting the small fuzzy head.

She reached her hand out to do the same, “Like this?” He nodded. Zuko kept petting the small animal, and Mai reached for another petal.  _ No more petals? He loves me. The last petal was ‘He loves me.’ _

Blushing, she reached her hand back out to pet the turtleduck. Zuko’s other hand rested on his leg. She encouraged herself, taking a deep breath, and with her hand began to hold Zuko’s. Zuko smiled at her, then turned his attention back to the fountain and squeezed her hand.


End file.
